amylew- the spreadsheet you are working on...is this alternative packets...not IP? I was wondering because if it is, maybe we should specify what brand they are...I order from nashua and lindora and they all have differences. If it is, I could work on it....I have quite a few boxes at home....and a few here at work. Let me know!

Look at the bottom of the spreadsheet. IP is on one sheet, Lindora on another, EAS on another, Nashua Nutrition on another, etc. On the Nashua Nutrition one, I put the actual brand, i.e. Proti-Thin, Health Smart, etc. in the name of the item.

Thanks for helping with this! I think the more people who help, the more complete it will be.

Julie: What were you meaning by being different with the food packs? I can deal with half the price versus 90+ a week it was to the point I really couldn't afford being on the program anymore, but I do love the variety.

I was just meaning that not all packets are created equal. A choc drink mix from Lindora has different work-up than IP or from Nashua. You really have to watch. I noticed, thanks to amylew (and everyone else contributing), that a lot of the packets I have been using have sugars I never noticed....just in such small amounts they don't mess with the carbs.

I am losing by eating alternatively...but that could be because I am watching what I eat (minus my cheat last night) and I am consuming very low fat/carb. I figure I would lose even if I weren't eating high protein. But, I feel better eating the protein!

I, too, love the variety. I stopped using IP products a couple months ago....saved me big bucks. However, I question my health at times (bruising) and I worry that I am not getting enough nutrients! That is why I am pretty diligent with the forum....making sure to learn everything I can!

wyoangel so let me get this right you are basically cooking at home and not using the packets at all? I understand not all packets are created equally but I figure every little bit helps and so far so good. I just was amazed at the variety versus IP product variety.

Hey all. New here and to IP. Day 1 on the program and already I know it's going to be hard. I'm a habitual snacker.

Question: Do any of you have to deal with negative responses to your diet choice? Family is very supportive but others that have heard about it have all been very negative saying how I'm going to make myself sick, etc.

Hey all. New here and to IP. Day 1 on the program and already I know it's going to be hard. I'm a habitual snacker.

Question: Do any of you have to deal with negative responses to your diet choice? Family is very supportive but others that have heard about it have all been very negative saying how I'm going to make myself sick, etc.

5'6", 271 lbs.

Believe in what you are doing and educate yourself. By doing this, you will be able to better explain why this eating plan works and why it is healthy. Uneducated people are quick to make judgments.

If you are not educated well, it is hard to convince them otherwise. These forums are great and so is the information on the first post of this daily chat for educating yourself.

You also always have the people who are always right and you will never convince them what you are doing is the right decision for you and healthy for you. To those people, just agree to disagree and don't let it get to you (easier said than done).

Hello everyone, I hope you've all had a good past week. I've been gone to a conference for the past week and a half and am just getting back. I was very concerned that I was going to have problems staying on the diet while I was away. I went to Orlando and let me tell you it wasn't easy, but it wasn't nearly as hard as I expected it to be. I did a great job of staying on diet and getting restaurants to sub veggies for me. The thing that threw a wrench in my plans was my back went out while I was gone and I had to start medication for it. I found that if I didn't eat when I took my medicine I got loopy. I was very concerned but I called my coach and she told me that my back was more important and if I had to modify my diet to take the medicine it was no problem. After hearing that it made it easier for me and while I did have to stray a bit from the plan my goal was to come home and not have a net gain for the two weeks between my last WI and the one when I got home. Well last night was the big WI and I was so pleased. Not only did I not gain weight, but i had a loss of 4.4lbs! I also got measured last night. Yesterday was 2 months from the day I started (sept 9) and I can proudly say I've lost a total of 21.25 inches!! I am so excited about that and the fact that I didn't gain any weight while at my conference that I immediately called my parents who are also on the diet to tell them. It is a great feeling to know that I can travel and do things like that and stick to the plan. It really showed me that by sticking to the plan I see results so I was able to avoid the temptation of the cake and cookies in my office today.

If you read this far in my post, thanks. If you just skimmed my post thanks! The support from this forum really helps me stay on track.

Question: Do any of you have to deal with negative responses to your diet choice? Family is very supportive but others that have heard about it have all been very negative saying how I'm going to make myself sick, etc.

Hello everyone, I hope you've all had a good past week. I've been gone to a conference for the past week and a half and am just getting back. I was very concerned that I was going to have problems staying on the diet while I was away. I went to Orlando and let me tell you it wasn't easy, but it wasn't nearly as hard as I expected it to be. I did a great job of staying on diet and getting restaurants to sub veggies for me. The thing that threw a wrench in my plans was my back went out while I was gone and I had to start medication for it. I found that if I didn't eat when I took my medicine I got loopy. I was very concerned but I called my coach and she told me that my back was more important and if I had to modify my diet to take the medicine it was no problem. After hearing that it made it easier for me and while I did have to stray a bit from the plan my goal was to come home and not have a net gain for the two weeks between my last WI and the one when I got home. Well last night was the big WI and I was so pleased. Not only did I not gain weight, but i had a loss of 4.4lbs! I also got measured last night. Yesterday was 2 months from the day I started (sept 9) and I can proudly say I've lost a total of 21.25 inches!! I am so excited about that and the fact that I didn't gain any weight while at my conference that I immediately called my parents who are also on the diet to tell them. It is a great feeling to know that I can travel and do things like that and stick to the plan. It really showed me that by sticking to the plan I see results so I was able to avoid the temptation of the cake and cookies in my office today.

If you read this far in my post, thanks. If you just skimmed my post thanks! The support from this forum really helps me stay on track.

Jess

Congratulations Jess! You prove by example that the plan can be followed even in the most challenging circumstances. Thanks for the update!

I was just meaning that not all packets are created equal. A choc drink mix from Lindora has different work-up than IP or from Nashua. You really have to watch. I noticed, thanks to amylew (and everyone else contributing), that a lot of the packets I have been using have sugars I never noticed....just in such small amounts they don't mess with the carbs.

I am losing by eating alternatively...but that could be because I am watching what I eat (minus my cheat last night) and I am consuming very low fat/carb. I figure I would lose even if I weren't eating high protein. But, I feel better eating the protein!

I, too, love the variety. I stopped using IP products a couple months ago....saved me big bucks. However, I question my health at times (bruising) and I worry that I am not getting enough nutrients! That is why I am pretty diligent with the forum....making sure to learn everything I can!

If you really want an education, read Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. Taubes is not a doctor, but a science writer, and did extensive research on the origins of various diets, along with the gobernment's influence on recommendations. It is not an easy read at times, but is so full of good information regarding low carb diets.

One thing I would suggest to you is that you do not let your fat intake go too low.

Hey all. New here and to IP. Day 1 on the program and already I know it's going to be hard. I'm a habitual snacker.

Question: Do any of you have to deal with negative responses to your diet choice? Family is very supportive but others that have heard about it have all been very negative saying how I'm going to make myself sick, etc.

5'6", 271 lbs.

I have been able to answer to potential critics that it's a medically supported program. In my case, the clinic director is an M.D. and she did the original presentation. During that presentation she cited her many cases of clients/patients who have had to go off their medication completely because this diet make them so healthy. Specifically, they are coming off medications for diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Their numbers are returning to normal not just because the weight is coming off, but because it's coming off in a way that preserves muscle mass and allows the pancreas a time to rest. All of this facilitates healing at a very deep level.

This is so much more than a diet. It's a healing program. The supplements, water, and vegetables help your body remove toxins that may be stored in the fat cells, so your body is getting better in many ways.

And that is also one reason Aspartame, which is very damaging to the body, is not recommended. If you can remove all the insults and not add any new ones to the body, the quality of your cells is going to improve immeasurably, and measurably as well.

wyoangel so let me get this right you are basically cooking at home and not using the packets at all? I understand not all packets are created equally but I figure every little bit helps and so far so good. I just was amazed at the variety versus IP product variety.

absolutely not.....I use packets.....I just stopped doing strict IP....I do the alternative products.